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Dili, June 16th, 2015
Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers from June 16th, 2015
The Council of Ministers met this Tuesday, June 16th, 2015, in the Council of Ministers’ meeting room, at the Government Palace, in Dili, and approved:
1. Law Proposal on the procedure for granting a pardon
This Law Proposal, presented by the Minister of Justice, establishes the procedure for granting pardons aiming at the extinction, modification or reduction of penalties or coercive measures, according to the Penal Code. It also sets the rules for submitting and following procedures regarding the request for pardon and the annual date for its grant.
According to the Constitution of the Republic, granting a pardon is the exclusive competence of the President of the Republic, who must, however, hear the Government, for the purpose.
The Presidency of the Republic, the Superior Council of Magistrates, the Attorney-General’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office and the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice have been consulted for the drafting of this diploma.
2. Decree Law approving the organic structure of the Anti-Corruption Commission
This diploma establishes the organic structure of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). This specialized independent police body has investigation functions, which are not always compatible with the general framework of the Civil Service and therefore requires its own organizational structure. The organization and operation of the ACC reflect the provisions of Law n. 8/2009, from July 15th, on the structure and competencies, in a multidisciplinary perspective, composed of specialized units of penal, civil, administrative, economic and financial law.
3. Decree-law approving the career for Anti-Corruption Experts
Taking into account the specific nature of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the activity of its personnel, this legislation establishes a special career for Anti-Corruption Experts (ACE), defining, in particular, the regime for admission, appointment, progression, promotion and staff remuneration of that institution.
4. Decree Law approving the organic law of the Secretariat of State for Employment Policy and Vocational Training
According to the Organic of the Sixth Constitutional Government, the State Secretariat for Employment Policy and Vocational Training (Portuguese acronym: SEPFOPE) is the Government body whose mission is to assist the Minister of State, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, in supervising the general policy for the areas of Employment and Vocational Training, essential components for the sustainable economic development of the country.
This diploma reviews the organic structure for the SEPFOPE, according to the competences set by the Organic Law of the Sixth Constitutional Government, so that the new structure of the Secretariat of State improves its capacity to respond to the challenges that the country faces, at the level of the referred areas, in the implementation of the National Employment Strategy, the Professional, Technical and Vocational Education Plan and other programs and initiatives.